Your Citrix NetScaler alternative, without the renewal shock
If you're running NetScaler MPX or VPX, you already know the pricing only moves one direction now. This session shows what it takes to move application delivery off NetScaler without rebuilding from scratch. We cover how HAProxy does the same load balancing and security work your boxes handle today, and we're honest about where the migration gets tricky. The payoff is knowing what the costs look like once the renewal pressure is gone.
Two separate changes are forcing the question. NetScaler ended perpetual licensing for MPX hardware and VPX software in 2023. That pushed everyone toward subscription-only pricing, and the renewal quotes often bear little resemblance to what teams used to pay. Then came the second change. As of April 15, 2026, file-based licenses are end-of-life, and activation now runs only through NetScaler's License Activation Service, so even teams still on legacy entitlements are out of room to wait.
That second change matters beyond the calendar. LAS ties license validation to Citrix Cloud, so an on-prem NetScaler is no longer fully self-contained. Moving to HAProxy keeps that activation on-prem, under your control.
NetScaler comes in two form factors: MPX on physical hardware and VPX as a virtual appliance. We'll show how both map to HAProxy. You'll see where the HAProxy Enterprise load balancer fits, and how the HAProxy Fusion control plane handles the multi-instance management that drew people to SDX in the first place. We also look at the HAProxy ALOHA hardware appliances for teams that want to keep a physical form factor on the rack.
What we'll cover
Why the 2023 end of perpetual licensing and the now-passed file-based license cutoff have forced NetScaler customers off the fence.
How HAProxy maps to the load balancing and security duties your MPX appliances perform today, feature by feature.
How the centralized management you run in NetScaler Console moves to the HAProxy Fusion control plane, and what changes for your operators.
A realistic migration path, including what to move first and how to run both stacks side by side during cutover.
Who should attend
This one is for platform and network engineers running NetScaler today, along with the IT leaders signing off on the next renewal. If you own an application delivery and you are weighing your options before the next licensing bill arrives, you will get something useful out of it.
Save your seat and bring details of your current NetScaler setup. We will hold the last stretch open for questions about your specific deployment.
Speakers
